The college is one of the athlete villages for the Games, housing competitors from all around the world in its dorms.

Interim PSC President Dan Kelting said he’s loved having the student athletes on campus as they started trickling in from countries like Ukraine, Italy and China this week.

“It’s pretty fun. People speaking different languages, and they’re all happy. It’s so cool,” he said.

Kelting said while much of the area has melted down to grass recently, the college’s Visitor Interpretive Center trails still have plenty of snow. He told the athletes to enjoy them while they are here.

Paul Smith’s College biathlete Brady Miller skis the World University Games torch through the Paul Smith’s College campus on Wednesday, followed by fellow PSC Bobcats athletes. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Kelting said the college has put a lot of work and investment into the VIC trials in the past few years, with its fledgling biathlon team bearing fruit this year with three PSC students competing in the Games — two in Nordic combined and one in biathlon.

One of those Nordic combined competitors, Aidan Ripp, a member of the college’s Nordic ski team, carried the torch first when it arrived on campus. Amid all the excitement and buzz on campus that morning, he was just anxious to get it done. He was missing an official jumping practice to be at the event and wanted to get back to practicing.

Ripp has been jumping since he was 7 years old, growing up in Minnesota and learning at “grimy little … dirtbag clubs” where he grew to love the sport and volunteered a lot. He said he was glad to come to PSC to attend college while practicing his “niche” sport where he gets the chance to fly.

Nordic combined involved both cross country skiing and ski jumping.

Ripp’s college roommate Timothy Ziegler, a junior at the college, is also a Nordic combined athlete in the Games. Ziegler said he had heard about the Games since he got on campus three years ago. He always thought it would be cool to compete in them and he was proud to represent PSC in competition.

Paul Smith’s College biathlete Brady Miller skis the World University Games torch through the Paul Smith’s College campus on Wednesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Ziegler said it’s rare for athletes in his sports to get to train and go to college full time and he was thankful to be able to do that at PSC.

Greg Borzilleri, a former soccer and ski coach as well as athletic director at the college, said he wants these Games to be the most sustainable in history. He said climate change puts the Adirondacks and its winter sports enthusiasts at risk of losing the season they love. Through the “Save Winter” initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and be environmentally friendly during the games, he hopes to set a precedent for other games in the future.

As a symbol, the torch was not a fossil fuel-fed flame, but a light bulb.

On Wednesday, Paul Smith’s College and U.S. Biathlon announced an expansion to their partnership, which started in 2020. Last year, U.S. Biathlon designated PSC as its official higher education partner. This expansion will include internship opportunities for graduates and undergraduates; U.S. Biathlon staff working on special class projects and speaking at the college; and the college’s logo being placed on U.S. Biathlon’s competitive apparel and social media, giving it increased public marketing exposure at national and international competition and events.

In October 2021, USA Nordic also named Paul Smith’s College its official education partner.

Aidan Ripp carries the World University Games torch through the Paul Smith’s College campus on Wednesday, followed by fellow PSC Bobcats athletes. Ripp will compete in Nordic combined in the games, which kick off today. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Aidan Ripp carries the World University Gamves torch through the Paul Smith’s College campus on Wednesday, followed by fellow PSC Bobcats athletes. Ripp will compete in Nordic combined in the games, which kick off today. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Aidan Ripp carries the World University Games torch through the Paul Smith’s College campus on Wednesday, followed by fellow PSC Bobcats athletes. Ripp will compete in Nordic combined in the games, which kick off today. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)